EXPLORING DONGDAEMUN FASHION TOWN

If I had to choose one place to recommend to my foreign friends for shopping, I’d say Dongdaemun.

Dongdaemun, a place where you can see both the traditional and contemporary sides of Korea, is home to the popular Dongdaemun Fashion Town, known as the country’s shopping mecca and the center of fashion.

With 32 shopping malls, a vast array of markets, and 30,000 stores in all, you can find most any kind of fashion item, clothing and souvenir in Fashion Town. It’s a fun, exciting place full of energy that locals and foreigners flock to. And whether you are a night owl or an early bird, you can shop anytime of day or night at this shopping paradise. Seriously, many places open late in the evening till 5 a.m. or later. And don’t worry, there are plenty of restaurants open at all hours and street vendors are everywhere selling their delicious treats.

However, I don’t think many foreigners experience the real value of this area. Many just buy a couple of items at overcharged prices, try some street food and then head home. That’s it. Because the town is so large, it can be overwhelming to come up with a wise shopping trip plan, even for locals like me.

So, I’m going to show you how to enjoy this area, find bargains and set up a shopping itinerary in advance. So, what are you waiting for, keep reading!

• Dongdaemun Fashion Town

• Dongdaemun Tourist Information Center: Ask questions here and pick up a map! (Purple mark on the map) / Hours: 10 a.m. – 1 a.m. daily

HOW TO GET THERE

• By Seoul Metro: Line 1,4 Dongdaemun St. Exit 6-9

• By car: Seongdong Technical High School Parking (Brown mark on the map) / Cost: 3,600 won for an hour

If you don’t mind walking 8 to 10 minutes, I recommend using this parking lot. It’s the cheapest in the area and has plenty of spots. However, if you plan to shop at malls, parking at one can be a better option. Please check the address and fee of each mall in this article.

WHAT TO BRING

• Bring both cash and credit card. Some wholesale shops only accept cash.

• Wear comfortable shoes and carry a backpack if you plan to buy many items.

• Download Naver Map app on your phone to navigate the vast shopping town.

SHOPPING MALLS VS. MARKETS

Before I tell you where to shop, I’ll quickly break down the differences between malls and markets in the area.

Retail shopping malls 

(Green marks on the map)

These are like the shopping malls you find in the States selling items at normal retail prices.

They have luxury interiors, brand shops, restaurants, food courts, and big parking lots. The shopping malls often hold fashion shows, music and dance performances in front of them since this district is known as a fashion mecca.

• Hours: 10 a.m.–midnight.

Wholesale and retail markets

(Red marks on the map)

They mostly sell items at wholesale prices to any type of shopper, so it’s a place where you should try to buy items at bargain prices.

• Hours: 9 a.m.–6 p.m. or 8 p.m.–12 p.m. (Mon–Sat)

DONGDAEMUN NIGHT MARKET SHOPPING GUIDE

Dongdaemun Night Market is known as the most important place for fashion in Korea. The dealers here sell products in bulk at wholesale prices to retail vendors from all over Korea and other countries. You can look around and take in the unique scenes of Korea’s fashion industry, but also do some shopping of your own! Many of the dealers sell single items to individuals. Believe me, it’s a fun place to watch people and take in the hustle and bustle of the fashion industry and buy some fashionable clothes for yourself!

The best way to plan your shopping trip is by visiting the Dongdaemun Tourist Information Center, which closes at 1 a.m., first. The center’s staff can help you choose which of the sections you should put on your list for some great shopping.

Ready to hit the ground running? Check out the guide next and start your trip to the night market from Dongdaemun Station Exit 7 and head toward Sinpyeonghwa Fashion Town. Exploring this fascinating district requires some walking, so make sure to wear comfortable shoes and to make time to grab some great street food while you’re there!

• Hours: 10 p.m.–5 a.m. (Closed from Friday morning and reopen Sunday night)

What’s there

• Women’s clothing: Kwanghee Fashion Mall, Hello apM, apM, Belpost, Nuzzon, The OT, Studio W, Desingers Club, DDP Fashion Mall, Techno

• Men’s clothing: Kwanghee Fashion Mall(B1), Hello apM (4th floor), apM(5-6th floors), Belpost (3rd floor), Nuzzon(3rd floor), Studio W (4-5th floor), Team 204 (4-5th floor)

• Plus size: The OT (B2/Women), Studio W (4-5th floor/Men)

• Children’s clothing: Elysium, Team 204 (3rd floor)

• Shoes: Dongdaemun Shoe Wholesale Market, Team 204

• Bags: Nampyeonghwa Market

• Clothing & Fashion items: Jeil Pyeonghwa Market, Pyeonghwa Market, Sinpyeonghwa Fashion Town, Dongpyeonghwa Fashion Town

RECOMMENDED SHOPPING PLACES

WHOLESALE & RETAIL MARKETS (Red marks on the map)

1. Dongdaemun Shopping Complex

This is paradise for those who love crafts and making their own clothes and accessories. 

Items: Clothing materials, fabrics, accessories subsidiary materials, cutting supplies, sewing thread, yarn, handicrafts, curtain material, bedding, beads, traditional costumes (hanbok) and more.

• Hours: 8:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. (Closed: Sunday) 

• Address: Line 1,4 Dongdaemun Station Exit 8-9 or 272 Jongno, Jongno-gu, Naver Map

2. Dongdaemun Shoe Wholesale Market (Night Market)

• Items: shoes

- A dong: All kinds of shoes, from low-priced to high-quality handmade ones for men and women.

- B dong: Shoes for children and woman.

- C dong: Fashionable shoes, mostly for women.

- D dong: Women shoes and pet shops selling fish, birds and rodents.

• Hours: 2 a.m. – 2 p.m. (Mon-Fri) / 2 a.m. – 12 p.m. (Sat)

• Address: Line 1,4 Dongdaemun Station Exit 7 or 319 Cheonggyecheon-ro, Jongno-gu, Naver Map

3. Nampyeonghwa Market (Night Market)

• Items: All kinds of bags and purses, from low-priced to high-quality ones.

• Hours: Midnight – 12 p.m. (Closed: Fri, Sat) 

• Address: Line 1,4 Dongdaemun Station Exit 7 or 282-10 Jangchungdan-ro, Jung-gu, Naver Map

4. Jeil Pyeonghwa Market (Night Market)

• Items: All types of women’s clothes and fashion items (shoes, bags, accessories and more).

• Hours: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. (Closed: Sunday) / Night Market: 8 p.m. – 5 a.m. (Closed: Fri, Sat) 

• Address: Line 1,4 Dongdaemun Station Exit 7 or 13 Majang-ro, Jung-gu, Naver Map

5. Pyeonghwa Market (Night Market)

• Items: Fashion items (scarfs, hats, bags, belts, socks and more), umbrellas, clothes for middle-aged men and women.

• Hours: 10 p.m. – 6 p.m. (Closed at 6 p.m. on Sat and reopen at 10 p.m. on Sun) 

• Address: Line 1,4 Dongdaemun Station Exit 8 or 274 Cheonggyecheon-ro, Jung-gu, Naver Map

6. Sinpyeonghwa Fashion Towna (Night Market)

• Items: Socks, underwear, pajamas, stage costumes, clothes for men and women.

• Hours: 9 p.m. – 5 p.m. (Closed: Weekends)

• Address: Line 1,4 Dongdaemun Station Exit 7 or 298 Cheonggyecheon-ro, Jung-gu, Naver Map

7. Dongpyeonghwa Fashion Town (Night Market)

• Items: Socks, underwear, pajamas, clothes for men and women.

• Hours: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. (Closed: Weekends) /Night Market: 9 p.m. - 10 a.m. (B1, 1st floor)

• Address: Line 1,4 Dongdaemun Station Exit 4-7 or 318 Cheonggyecheon-ro, Jung-gu, Naver Map

Retail Shopping Malls(Green marks on the map)

1. Migliore

Most products in this mall are trendy fashion clothes and items for youth. Although this is a shopping mall, Migliore has similar types of shops to wholesale & retail markets, so prices are reasonable and you can try to bargain with store staff.

• Items: Trendy fashion items, accessories for youth and casual, fashion clothes for women and men.

• Hours: 10:30 a.m.–2 a.m. (Closed: Monday)

• Address: Line 2,4,5 Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station Exit 14 or 263, Jangchungdan-ro, Jung-gu, Naver Map

• Parking: 3,000 won per hour.

Once you purchase something at a shop, you’ll get a coupon for 30 minutes free parking. You can use a total of 6 coupons (3 hours).

2. Doota Mall

This mall is known for luxury brand stores, designer shops, interesting stores, good restaurants and food court. You’ll be able to check out the latest fashion trends at this mall.

• Items: Fashion accessories, casual, fashion and sports clothes, souvenirs and more.

• Hours: 10:30 a.m. – Midnight (Closed: National holidays only)

• Address: Line 1,4 Dongdaemun Station Exit 8 or 275 Jangchungdan-ro, Jung-gu, Naver Map

• Parking: 4,200 won per hour (2.5 hours of free parking with total purchases over 100,000 won)

3. Dongdaemun Hyundai City Outlet

Like Doota Mall, it also has a lot of brand shops and good restaurants. They sell a lot of brand products at discounted prices and hold many seasonal sale events.

• Items: Fashion accessories, casual, fashion, sports clothes and more

• Hours: 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m. (Closed: National holidays only) 

• Address: Line 1,4 Dongdaemun Station Exit 8 or 20, Jangchungdan-ro 13-gil, Jung-gu, Naver Map

• Parking: Free for the first 30 minutes during the week and 1 hour on weekends. A purchase of 10,000 won gives you another hour of free parking. 600 won for every additional 10 minutes.

Underground Shopping Centers (Yellow marks on the map)

1. Cheonggye 6-ga Underground Shopping Center

• Items: Clothes, shoes, bags, fashion items (hats, watches, accessories).

• Hours: 10:20 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (Closed: Last Monday of every month)

• Address: Line 1,4 Dongdaemun Station Exit 8, Naver Map

2. Dongdaemun Underground Shopping Center

• Items: Hanbok, beddings

• Hours: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. (Closed: Tuesday)

• Address: Inside of Line 4 in Dongdaemun Station Exit 8

Wholesale Street Market (Blue marks on the map)

1. Sunday Market

It’s the cheapest wholesale market in the area. There is no official name for this street, so people usually call it Sunday Market, which makes sense because it’s only open on Sundays! Items that weren’t sold at wholesale prices to online malls or indoor markets are sold here. Most items here are extremely affordable, ranging from 1,000 won to 10,000 won! This is a great place for bargain hunters! It’s so much fun shopping here!

Items: Fashion items (hats, accessories, scarf, watches, socks, belts), bags, shoes, pet clothes & toys, clothes for all ages, jackets, coats, vintage clothes, bedding and more.

Hours: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. (Only Sunday)

Address: In front of Kwanghee Fashion Mall, Naver Map

TASTY STREET FOOD AT GWANGJANG MARKET 

Gwangjang Market is one of the largest and most famous markets in Korea. Located about 10 minutes away from Dongdaemun Fashion Town, it’s a great place to grab a snack after shopping.

You can sample all kinds of Korean street food here and also shop for Hanbok and vintage clothing. This is a popular destination for foreigners because it’s a great example of a Korean traditional market and the atmosphere really gives off a local flavor, and I mean that literally.

If you really want to get your fill, check out Mukja Golmok, a famous street food alley with so many types of delicious Korea food. The prices are low and it’s just so much fun testing all the goodies with your family and friends.

Things To Know

• Address: Line 1 Jongro 5-Ga Station Exit 7-8, Naver Map

• Food Market (1F): 9 a.m.–11 p.m. (Every day)

• Hanbok Market (1F-2F): 9 a.m.–6 p.m. (Mon-Sat)

• Vintage Shops (2F): 10 a.m.–5 p.m. (Mon-Sun)

TAKE AN EATING TOUR OF MUKJA GOLMOK

• 12 pieces of salmon sushi = 10,000 won           

• Gimbap + Green bean pancake + Tteokbokki (red rice cake) = 11,000 won                

• Pork dish = 7,000 won                

• Banquet noodles = 5,000 won           

• Fried tofu rice balls = 3,000 won                   

• Total cost = 36,000 won (This feast fed 4 people!)

SPEAKIN’ KOREAN

Mukja Golmok(먹자골목) is a Korean phrase that literally means “Let’s Eat Alley”

• Mukja (먹자): Let’s eat

• Golmok (골목): Alley

DONGDAEMUN TOY AND STATIONERY STREET: TOY STREET A KIDS’ PARADISE

If you love toys or have some youngsters running around the house, check out Dongdaemun Toy and Stationery Street! It’s a wholesale market specializing in Korean toys and stationery items. Korean children love cute stationery, pens, pencil cases, and notebooks featuring adorable animal or animated character designs. Many parents take their kids here before the start of school, Christmas and on Children’s Day (May 5).

The entire district is filled with numerous shops selling a diverse range of stationery, toys, and even traditional Korean crafts. You’ll find a wide selection of toys, including beloved items from the 1990s as well as modern favorites. Exploring this area promises a unique experience whether you’re with kids or not. As Christmas approaches, visit Dongdaemun Toy and Stationery Street to hunt for fun and cute gifts.

MAKE A PACT WITH YOUR CHILDREN

If you plan to bring your children shopping, I recommend making a deal with them on how many toys they can get or how much money can be spent. Everywhere on this street, you will see excited children urging their parents to get more toys and dragging them from store to store. That will be you and your child. I guarantee it. So, make a pact with them before you hit the street.

MORE THAN STATIONERY!

In Korea, stationery shops not only sell basic stationery, but also accessories, kitchen appliances, home decorations, toys and much more.

• Types of toys

 There are tons of cute, fun toys, including figures of movie heroes and famous animation characters, Legos, Korean dolls, costumes, and so many more.

• Souvenirs

 Each shop has some Korean-style items that can be good souvenirs: traditional fans, soju glasses, key rings, pens, steel spoons and chopsticks sets, stationery and more.

POP QUIZ

When you’re shopping in Korea and using won, learning how to count Korean numbers for money can be very helpful. Here is a little quiz to test your knowledge! Korean language has two different number systems: Pure and Sino. For counting money, Sino numbers are used. Take a look at the brief lesson and go through the quiz. The answers are at the bottom, so try not to cheat!

Korean numbers (sino) review

1.

1-10,000

1: Il (일) 2: I (이) 3: Sam (삼) 4: Sa (사) 5: Oh (오)

6: Yuk (육) 7: Chil (칠) 8: Pal (팔) 9: Gu (구) 10: Sip (십)

100: Baek (백) 1,000: Cheon (천) 10,000: Man (만)

2.

Let’s practice how to count from 1 to 9,999

*You don’t have to say il (one) on numbers less than 100,000 (sip man)

• 1,000: Cheon

• 5,100: Oh cheon baek

• 32,500: Sam (3) man (10,000) I (2) cheon (1,000) oh (5) baek (100)

• 76,400: Chil (7) man (10,000) yuk (6) cheon (1,000) sa (4) baek (100)

• 99,999: Gu (9) man (10,000) gu (9) cheon (1,000) gu (9) baek (100) gu (9) sip (10) gu (9)

QUIZ TIME!

In the popular Seungjin Stationery Shop, which is loaded with cool toys, souvenirs and stationery, the price is not marked on the items. If you want to check the price, you’ll need to scan the barcode.

How much is it?: Eolmayeyo? (얼마예요?)

Take a look at the prices for the merchandise below. Write down how you say it in Korean or say it out loud, then take a look at the answers below to see if you got it right.

1. Tony Tony Chopper: 21,000 won

2. Princess Tiara: 7,000 won

3. Korean Hanok Lego: 36,000 won

4. Dragon Ball: 86,000 won

5. Traditional Korean Fan: 15,000 won

Answers: 1. I man cheon won; 2. Chil cheon won; 3. Sam man yuk cheon won; 4. Pal man yuk cheon won; 5. Man oh cheon won

TIPS FOR SHOPPING AT WHOLESALE MARKETS

I’ve been to a lot of wholesale markets in Korea and even for a local like me, it can be intimidating. Here are some pointers that should help you find the perfect item at a perfect price. Remember, this should be fun!

• Take time to look around and compare prices from at least 2-3 different places. You’ll be surprised at the difference in prices between venders.

• Most stores/venders don’t have changing rooms, so make sure you really look over the clothing.  (Note: You can quickly try something on over your shirt or short pants.)

• Business hours vary from store to store depending on the vendor’s plans and the weather. 

• Try to visit the market way before closing time. A lot of stores start closing 2-3 hours earlier than the regular closing time.

• There are imitation products, so be cautious!

• Don’t take it personally when some vendors behave aggressively. They act the same whether you’re a foreigner or Korean. Some yell at people trying to take a picture of their products, while others only welcome retail vendors or shoppers buying items in bulk. Just shrug it off and move on.

HOW TO HAGGLE

At wholesale markets, many products are sold at low prices. On top of that, haggling is a part of the wholesale and traditional market culture. If you do it right, you can bring the prices even lower. Even if you don’t, it’s still a lot of fun! Here are some situations that are ideal for haggling!

1. When a vendor tries to get your attention before you enter their store or attempts to sell you specific items, they more than likely are offering it to you at a “foreigner price.” In such cases, don’t hesitate to haggle. Show them you aren’t an easy person to rip off!

2. While looking around a few stores, you’ll get a rough idea of pricing on specific products. If you think a vendor offers a higher price than others, try to haggle.

3. When you buy multiple items, especially in bulk from one store, it’s a perfect time to haggle.

SPEAKIN’ KOREAN

1. Sentence (formal & conversational)

*Using “yo” makes a sentence formal. 

“How much is it?”= Eolmayeyo? (얼마예요?)

“Please give to me / I’ll take it”= Juseyo (주세요)

“Please do it for me”= Hae-juseyo (해주세요) “Please give me a discount”= Kkakka-juseyo (깎아주세요) 

“I’ll buy it” = Salgeyo (살게요) 

“I won’t buy it” = An-salgeyo (안 살게요) 

“Can I try on? (Only for clothes)” = Ib-eo bwado dweyo? (입어봐도 돼요?)

“Can I try on? (Only for shoes)” = Sinuh bwado dweyo? (신어봐도 돼요?) 

2. Vocabulary 

• Igeo (이거) = This

• Jeogeo (저거) = That

• Gachi (같이) = Together   

• Jogeum (조금) = A little bit

3. Prepositions

• Rang (랑) = And, with (or as with)

• Man (만) = Only 

Peaceful name

The name of many old wholesale markets is “Pyeonghwa.” It’s because they were built right after the Korean War. It shows how much South Koreans wished for the peaceful reunification of the peninsula at that time.

• Pyeonghwa (평화): Peace

• Tongil (통일): Reunification

Follow my lead Don’t be afraid, it’ll be fun speaking Korean while shopping & haggling!

If you ask politely, the chance of getting a discount will increase. Say “Jogeum-man” to make a sentence more polite. 

“Can I get a little discount.” = Jogeum-man kkakka juseyo (조금만 깎아주세요)

If “kkakka” is hard to say, using the English word “discount” with “hae-juseyo” will work. 

Jogeum-man discount hae-juseyo (조금만 디스카운트 해주세요)

USAG Yongsan

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